Bed attachment for invalids



Oct. 20, 1936. H. Y. ARMSTRCNG 2,057,811

BED ATTACHMEN T' FOR INVALIDS Filed Nov. 1e, 1954,

I 7,/ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to bed attachments, more particularly to an attachment for a bed by which an invalid, or patient, may assist himself in movement about the bed.

An object of the invention is a device of the typereferred to which may be readily and conveniently attached to, or removed from, the bed without the employment of any tools, or other equipment.

A further object of the invention is a bed attachment for invalids, and the like, which normally may be maintained in a position where it is entirely out of the way, and may be conveniently and quickly swung into operated position.

A further object of the invention is a device of the type referred to which is economical in manufacture, employing a minimum number of parts, and at the same time highly efiicient and durable in use.

A further object of the invention is a bed attachment provided with a hand grip by which the patient may move himself about in the bed, and which hand grip is adjustable to suit the needs and conditions of any patient.

The invention consists in the novel features, and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the device attached to a bed.

Figure 2 is a view taken on lines 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view, in elevation, of the hand grip.

The invention consists generally in a vertical support provided with an overhanging arm, a hook structure engaging the upper horizontal rail of the bed, and a second hook structure engaging the lower horizontal rail, the support being provided with suitable means for adjusting the hook structures to clamp the device to the bed, and a hand grip depending from the overhanging portion of the support, and means for adjusting the grip toward and from the patient.

H3 indicates generally the bed which, as here shown, is provided with the usual head posts H, and foot posts I2. The posts II and 12 may be U shaped in general formation, with the connecting portion of the U forming the upper horizontal rails i3, M, or the rails I3, l4, may be welded, or otherwise secured, to the foot posts. As here shown, the bed is provided with the usual lower horizontal rails l5, l6, and vertical bars [1, l8, connecting the cross rails l3, I5; l4, 56.

Bed attachments for invalids have been constructed heretofore, but I have found that such devices are comparatively intricate and complicated, with the result that their cost is prohibitive for general adaptation, and in addition they are so constructed that they can not be readily and conveniently attached to and removed from beds. My device, as will more fully appear as the specification proceeds, can be readily and. conveniently attached to the bed without the use of any tools, or special equipment. This feature is extremely important in the case of hospitals where such attachments are usually manipulated by the nurses who have neither the time, nor equipment, to operate intricate and complicated devices.

My bed attachment consists of a vertical support 20 formed, or provided, with an angular extension or arm 2!. As here shown, the support 26 is of tubular formation, and the arm 2| integral therewith. An abutment, or collar 22 is welded, or otherwise secured, to the support 20, and the lower end of the support is threaded a considerable distance, as at 23.

The support is detachably secured to the bed, by means of a pair of hook structures designated generally 24, 25. The hook structure 24, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawing, consists of a sleeve 26 provided with a bore to slidably receive the support 2!]. A hook 2'! is secured to the sleeve 26, as by welding, or the sleeve 26 and hook 2': may be formed integral.

Referring to Figure 2, the hook 21 is of U shaped formation with the loop 28 of the hook passing about the sleeve 26, and the legs 29, 30, providing a pair of spaced apart hooks which engage or hook over the upper horizontal cross rail I3 of the bed.

The lower hook structure 25 is of the same construction as the upper hook structure, and consists of a sleeve 3| and U shaped hook 32. Usually, the upper rail I3 is of greater diameter than the lower rail E5. However, on account of the formation of the hooks 2T, 32, a large variation in rail sizes is taken care of. The hooks 21, 32, are provided with suitable covering 33 to prevent marring of the rails I3, l5.

Preferably, an antifriction thrust bearing is interposed between the collar 22 and the sleeve 26 of the hook structure 24. As here shown, a pair of hand nuts 34 are threaded upon the lower end 23 of the support 20, an antifriction thrust bear- .chain or cable 43.

tubular support 20, and at its inner end is proing 35 being interposedbetween the lower hook structure 25 and the upper hand nut 34.

The device -is attached to the bed by hooking the upper hook structure 24 over the upper horizontal rail It. The hand nuts 34 are then adjusted sliding the lower hook structure 25 upwardly until the hooks 32 engage the lower rail l5. The hand wheels are adjusted with a light pressure against the lower hook structure 25, and are then looked in this adjusted position. It will be observed that the device is attached to the bed in a most convenient manner, and with the minimum consumption of time, and once the device is attached to the bed, there is no danger whatever of it becoming loosened, or otherwise coming off from the bed. It will be observed that bed is simple in construction and easily operable, it being only necessary to hook the upper hook the support 26 is thus journalled in the hook structures 24, 25, and relative rotatable move ment of the support is permitted. This feature. permits the device to be used to assist patients,

or invalids, in getting in and out of the bed.

When the device is not in use, the arm 2| may be swung parallel with the rails l3, l4. The bed attachment is provided with a suitable hand grip 40, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. As here shown, the hand grip 40 is of substantially triangular formation, the base of the triangle comprising a cylindrical hand grip 4i, and the apex 42 of the triangle being secured to the end of a flexible The cable 43 extends into the vided with a suitable weight 44 which is free to travel'within the support 20. In order that the hand grip 49 may be adjusted to suit the indi- -vidual requirements of the patient, I provide means for varying the length .of the chain, or cable, extending fromthe end of the arm 2|. The arm 2| is provided with a pin 45 which extends through the arm, and engages one of the links of the chain, as shown in Figure 1. To

adjust the hand grip 40, it is only necessary to remove the pin 45, pull the cable or chain 43 out of the arm, and reinsert the pin. Or, if it is desired to adjust the grip 40 to a higher position, after removal of the pin 45, the cable is drawn in the support by the weight 44 when the hand grip 40 is lifted. Obviously, any suitable means may be employed, other than the pin 45, to adjust the cable 43. To prevent the pin 45 from being lost, itis flexibly secured to the arm 2| by chain 46.

I have found in practice that the flexible support in the nature of a chain, or cable, is highly desirable for the hand grip. This permits the grip to be twisted, or turned, according to the movements of the patient.

When the support 20 is rotated so that the arm 2| extends over, or overhangs, the bed, as shown in Figure 1, it is desirable to maintain the device in this position while it is in use. To effect this result, without the use of intricate mechanism, I have provided a simple latch arrangement which is quickly and conveniently operated and which maintains the device in operated position. 7

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, a latch or retainer 41 is pivotally mounted upon the collar 22. The latch 41 is Y shaped in general formation, the legs of the Y being provided with pins or trunnions 48, the inner ends of which are journalled in apertures in the collar. The

leg portion of the Y formation, or the outer end of the latch 41, is of such width as to drop between the legs 29, 30, of the hook structure 24, and rests upon the upper surface of the upper rail l3, as shown in Figure 1. When in this position, the support is held from rotatable movement. When it is desired to swing the arm 2i parallel with the end of the bed, it is only necessary to raise the flap or latch 41, and swing the support. I

It will be observed that I have devised a bed attachment of the type described, which is economical in manufacture, and while light in weight and easily manipulated, is sufliciently strong and durable to meet all requirements.

The method of securing the attachment to the is such that its attachment and all adjustments can be readily and quickly made by nurses, or attendants in hospitals.

What I claim is: 1

1. Inaz'bed attachment for invalids including avertical support provided with an arm overhanging the bed, an'abutment secured to the support, a hook structure mounted upon the support and having relative rotatable movement thereto, the hook structure engaging the upper horizontal rail of the bed and abutting against the abutment on the support a second hook structure slidably mounted upon the support and engaging the lower horizontal rail of the bed, means carried by the support andloperable to adjust the second hook structure toward and from the firsthook structure toclamp the de-L vice to the bed, a hand grip depending from'the overhanging arm of the support, and means for adjusting said hand grip toward and from the bed. a

2. A bed attachment for invalids including atures to prevent swinging movement of the overhanging portion of the support. i

3. A bed attachment for invalids including a pair of hook structures for engaging the horizontal rails of the bed, a one-piece tubular support formed with a horizontal extension, said" and the bed when the angular portion is overhanging the bed, a flexible cable arranged in the tubular support and extending outwardly from the end of the angular arm, and means for adjusting said cable.

HARRY Y. ARMSTRONG. 

